STAND

STAND. COM. REP. 848

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 297

H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 297, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DRUGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to establish the Drug Strike Force Program (Program) within the Department of the Attorney General (AG) to combat the sale and distribution of illegal drugs and to provide funding for drug prevention, enforcement, and treatment.

The Hawaii Nurses' Association, Faith Against Drugs, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. The Hawaii Medical Service Association supported the intent of this measure. The Honolulu Police Department opposed this measure. The AG, American Heart Association, Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, and Community Alliance on Prisons submitted comments.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Establishing the Program within the Department of Public Safety instead of the AG;

(2) Appropriating an unspecified amount for education programs aimed at preventing crystal methamphetamine use among middle and high school students;

(3) Appropriating an unspecified amount for the establishment of an adolescent treatment center aimed at addressing crystal methamphetamine use on the island of Hawaii;

(4) Appropriating an unspecified amount for community anti-drug efforts aimed at preventing crystal methamphetamine use on the island of Hawaii; and

(5) Establishing the Office of Drug Czar within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to coordinate state programs related to drug distribution, sales, use, enforcement, and rehabilitation.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 297, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 297, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

		____________________________ DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair